The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for Akwa Ibom state, Obong Nsima Ekere, has accused PDP governorship candidate, Governor Udom Emmanuel, and the leadership of the PDP of planning to use militants from other Niger Delta states to cause violence in the February 16 and March 2 general elections.
He has also alleged that Emmanuel claimed that the state Police authorities were against him after he failed in his bid to influence the posting of his preferred Police Commissioner to the state.
Ekere, who made the allegations during the flag off of his campaigns in Uyo on Monday, also dispelled claims by the PDP in the state that the APC has perfected plans to use federal institutions to rig the elections.
He assured the electorate that his administration would create the much needed economic boom for Akwa Ibom in addition to strategic investment in health, social protection and infrastructure.
Ekere maintained that the APC led FG has the most sophisticated social protection programme in the history of the country adding that his administration would domesticate same in the state when elected.
He said that Akwa Ibom people have no business being poor and expressed readiness to return the state to the path of prosperity while building on the achievements of the former governors of the state.
The APC flag bearer stated that the occasion signaled the beginning of a march towards peace and development of the state and called on the PDP to allow the people of the state to enjoy the prevailing peace in the state.
Further, he challenged the PDP to make the campaigns issue oriented, stressing that he would ensure that his campaigns are devoid of ethnicity and hate speeches because the collective interest and unity of the state needed to be protected.
The Special guest on the occasion and Governor of Edo state Godwin Obaseki said that as the heart of the South South region, Akwa Ibom is been looked up to lead in the transformation of the region because of its wealth adding that this would be realizable under the APC.
Obaseki expressed regret that the state has experienced a down turn in development under the PDP after the boom and transformatory administration of Akpabio in the state.
In a remark, a former governor of the state and ex Senate Minority leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio denied that his administration owed.
He describing Ekere as a liberal fellow adding that even after being part of the plan that ousted him as a deputy governor, he (Akpabio) would want him to take the reins of leadership of the state as a governor.
Akpabio, who expressed confidence that President Muhammadu Buhari would win the Presidential poll urged voters to vote for the APC inorder to return the state to the centre of Nigeria’s politics.
The APC State Gubernatorial Council Director General, Senator Ita Enang, called on the PDP government in the state to start preparing their exit while describing Ekere as the candidate that would instill accountability and transparency in the governance of the state.
Former APC guber candidate in Akwa Ibom and chairman of the Oil and Gas Free Zone Mr Umana Umana who expressed confidence over the success of the party in the 2019 polls faulted Governor Udom Emmanuel for reason he adduced for not completing some of the mega projects started by Akpabio.
